Those Who Fear and Those Who Hide It
by NowAskYourself-WhatWouldLokiDo
Summary: "There's no reason to hide it, you know. Everybody has fears, and it takes strength to get over them. But sometimes, you just can't. Even the strongest cannot overcome some of the things that trouble them. Especially when something drastic has happened. Papa, you lost mama. We both did. And if it wasn't noticeable before, I'm not exactly at ease myself,"


**Troubled by that of his fears, the late King of Arendelle returns with a handful of new pains, guilt, and blame. And with the help of his eldest, he realizes that it makes no sense to be afraid of fear itself. **

**Characters: Elsa, the late king of Arendelle**

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><p><em><strong>Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones. <strong>_

**_~Thich Nhat _****_Hanh_**

Arendelle was quiet.

Too quiet.

The late King stood at the edge of the palace window, his fingers tapping on the edge, curling with every small gust of wind. Silence in the skies of Arendelle only meant one thing. An impending bout of rain and wind.

Words that could only mean an inclemency.

He swallowed slowly, feeling his throat tighten. His grip strengthened on the boards when a particular gust of wind passed through his thinning hair.

Tonight wasn't going to be one he relished.

The storms in Arendelle ranged from casual to downright wall shaking. And if the King could have his choice, he'd pick neither.

The winds had stolen his wife. They'd stolen him.

He wasn't who he was before. No, he was a man with fears that plagued his once normal thoughts. But he would never openly display such anxiety's. He was the King, after all. Yes, Elsa had taken her rightful place as Queen, that was expected. But he still remained by her side, not as a king, but as second in command. Elsa relied on his guidance when it came to making decisions concerning the town as a whole, something she was still learning. And he had no problem with helping her. He enjoyed still having a place in the high command.

Besides, not being King took a plethora of pressure off his shoulders. He had enough to deal with already.

It was hard enough explaining to the girls why their mother hadn't accompanied him when he had returned.

His eyes shut painfully when he thought back to that. She had been trapped. Her leg pinned beneath a fallen crate.

_"You're going to be fine, okay? You...you'll be fine,"_

_The waves hitting the ship became more aggressive, and he became more desperate, pulling at her arms and pushing his weight against the object that held her. He could feel his back giving out as he threw himself against the crate once more, Idun's eyes meeting his._

_"Go,"_

_He stared at her as if she hadn't said anything at all._

_"What...?"_

_She struggled against the floor, trying to wiggle herself from the hold with no avail. She allowed her head to collapse back to the floor, shallow breaths escaping from her lips as she breathed her reply once more._

_"Go,"_

_The King felt a pang in his chest at that, as if someone held his heart in a vice grip. His expression fell to nothing, then returned back to a look of absolute despair. "I cannot. I will not,"_

_Idun's breaths became exasperated as she felt the feeling in her legs drain. "Get back to the girls. They need us, Agdar. They do. They should not lose us both."_

_He had no words for her. He simply stared, bewildered that she would say such things but at the same time angered at himself for understanding the importanceof what she was saying._

_She was right. He couldn't just leave his daughters to their own. Not now, not ever. It was not his time yet, but it certainly seemed to be his wife's._

_He fell to his knees with a silent cry, cupping each side of her face in his hands. The ship rocked again, a gush of water erupting from a breaking board. Idun stared at him once more, her pale lips curling into that of a small, comforting smile._

_"Go, now,"_

_His lips fell to her forehead, placing a tender kiss. He felt himself shake, partly from the cold sea water that drenched his pants, and from the pure thought of having to leave her behind. He held himself there for a second, his lips hovering over her skin. "I love you,"_

_She let out a struggled cough, her face losing more of its color before she felt her eyes slowly start to blur. His lips fell onto hers, his kiss short but filled with what she needed. Comfort. "I love you too,"_

_He struggled to stand back up, his legs shaking as he turned to face the door. When he turned back to give her one last look, her eyes were closed. The board holding the sea back finally broke, a blast of icy water filling the floors. With one last mumble of, "I love you,", he was gone._

That was the last time he had laid eyes upon his wife.

He wished that wasn't so. And with every past memory, his lip trembled. No, he wouldn't let himself cry. Not here, not now. A man of such power wasn't to show weakness. Collecting himself, he placed both hands onto the edge of the windowsill, arching his back before letting out an exasperated sigh and allowing the sea breeze to fill his lungs. Something that was once comforting troubled him greatly. The sea was no longer his friend. The forge was his enemy. A cold assassin that took what he loved without mercy, almost taking him down with it.

A soft knock on the edge of the open door woke him from his trance, and with a slow turn he faced his eldest who stood in the doorway with a look of concern.

"Papa? Is everything alright?" She carefully took a step inwards, hoping that she wasn't intruding on anything. Her father liked to be alone with his thoughts, she knew that.

He tried his best to compose himself. He shouldn't have let himself be taken by such an emotion as fear. He stared back at her with reassuring eyes, making an effort to not let his pain be shown.

"Yes, of course, my dear. Everything is fine," he straightened his posture and allowed a confident smile to dance on his lips. "Is there something you need?"

Walking further into the room, Elsa shifted slightly. Her father wasn't the best at hiding his emotions at times. It was in his eyes how he was truly feeling, and right now all she could see was pain, fear, and a slight shine of guilt. But she knew he hated to talk of such things, and so she left it at that.

"I just came to remind you that dinner is soon..."

Agdar turned back towards the window, looking out at the clouds that continued to gather over the forge. "Yes, yes of course. And what is it that will be served today?"

"The kitchen has prepared a roast. It should be ready anytime now. Would you care to walk with me? Anna is out with Kristoff and a Queen should never walk alone," she tried to throw a bit of humor into her talk, noticing her father's vacant stare out towards the decreasing pleasantry of the weather. She could only hope Anna and Kristoff were somewhere safe. Earlier, they had taken a trip up the North Mountain, and that was not the place to be when it came to a storm in Arendelle.

Agdar turned back towards his eldest with a soft smile, taking his hands off the ledge. "Of course, darling. You are right, a Queen should never walk alone. I see you have been taking some of what I have been teaching,"

Elsa nodded, heading back towards the door. "Of course. What better tutor than a man that has already ruled in my place?" She headed back out the door, her father on her heels.

After a bit of a walk in nothing but silence, Else felt her shoulders slump. Her father walked with such pride beside her, his hands behind his back and his posture straight. The strut of a real king. "You know, its good to have you back here,"

Agdar turned his neck to face her, a curious look on his face. "I would certainly hope so,"

"The kingdom...kind of fell apart when you weren't here. Though that was to be expected. Its only been back to normal in the last few months, a bit before you arrived back here. But with you around, things just seem...different," She had trouble choosing her words, feeling again like a small girl trying to make her papa proud with every use of her voice. "I appreciate what you've been teaching me. Its hard...being a ruler. There is a lot to learn, a lot to do. And with you here, it just makes it a lot easier. I missed you,"

He felt his heart catch at that. Elsa didn't usually express herself like this, and he greatly appreciated it. Being able to have a normal conversation with his eldest was something he adored. He had missed her too, if he hadn't, he wouldn't have returned. True, it had taken three years to finally make his way back, having to make tedious plans along the way and spend what little money he had earned, continuously having to stop at unknown, hidden ports and towns along the way. But it was worth it. He had missed his family; the one he had created. His two little heirs. And although much had changed since now four years ago, he still enjoyed being back. And with Elsa now being fully comfortable with herself and the knowledge that the town no longer would fear her, he felt more at ease. A longing, hundred ton feeling of dread being lifted off his back.

A sudden gust of wind blew the shutters open from a nearby hall window, and with a slight jump, Agdar stumbled back. After realizing how silly he must of looked, he silently hoped Elsa hadn't seen his little outburst.

Walking forward with grace, she slowly shut the windows and locked them, sighing. She wasn't the biggest fan of storms, not since they had taken their parents for all those years. But she wasn't going to let a small, silly fear get to her. Not again.

Turning back to her father, who stood straight with a look of elegance, Elsa offered a small smile. "That was quite...startling,"

He could only give a slight chuckle. "Hm, yes. Hopefully that won't be happening again. Almost gave your poor papa a heart attack," clutching his chest with fake pain, Agdar swallowed slowly. It was only meant to be a joke, too bad it was almost true.

Elsa hated it when her father joked about such things, things she never wanted to imagine. Turning back towards the dining halls approaching entrance, she pushed past the decorated doors. Agdar mentally scolded himself for saying such a thing. He certainly didn't want to cause Elsa any more stress, but honestly, he was under more than the regular amount he should be enduring.

Taking their seats around the empty table, the pleasant smell of a fresh cooked roast wafted through the air. The father and daughter pair shared a glance, knowing fair well that they were about to enjoy quite the feast. Too bad Agdar couldn't keep his hands from nervously twiddling on his lap. Placing a napkin down, he began to play with the edges of it, though making sure to keep his eyes up as not to alert any attention to his behavior.

Dinner came and past, and by the end the two diners were stuffed, an array of plates and trays covering the table top. Pushing his chair back with elegance, Agdar stood up slowly, placing a hand onto his stomach. "My, that was certainly filling,"

Elsa looked up with a smile, her too pushing past her chair to join her father in standing. "Yes, it was, wasn't it?"

An awkward silence filled the room, and Elsa turned her glance downwards. _Damn this infernal storm. _

Before Agdar could move past the table, the room shook, paintings and plates clattering against their surfaces. A loud crack erupted in the large room, echoing as to enhance the nerve wracking sound. Feeling his hands clench in agony, he couldn't keep himself from jumping slightly. The noise and disturbance was over as fast as it started, but it left two unsettled royalty standing without purpose, rather staying to their own thoughts as they tried to calm themselves down.

Each looked up to offer the other a comforting smile, both praying that their fear was not evident on their features. Straightening himself once again, Agdar put on the best comforting expression that he could muster and stared back at his daughter. "Well, that was unexpected,"

Elsa didn't know how to respond to that, and could only nod. Walking over to the nearest window, she cast her glance out towards the forge, where a thickening mass of black floated above it, moving fast and drenching the piers of Arendelle in rain. Allowing a worried and annoyed grunt to escape quietly, she shut the curtains, not noticing the man that stood behind her, staring out at the cluster of clouds with a look of despair.

_A king does not fear. A king must be strong._

_But you are no longer king. _

_But does Elsa need to see you like this? Do you need to see yourself like this?_

"I hope Anna and Kristoff have gotten somewhere. They should be back by now. But then again, when does Anna ever follow through with her plans?" Elsa tried to bring a bit of humor into the situation, but watched as a slight twitch of her fathers mustache and the wrinkle of his forehead took over his expression before his kind, reassuring smile did.

_Perfect, another thing to perplex about. _

"Oh, I'm sure they're fine. I don't know much about that Kristoff fellow yet, but he seems to know what he's doing when it comes to being outdoors. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Besides, its just a small storm," he tossed the topic off casually, pretending that nothing was truly wrong. That this was a simple occurrence. "It looks like it may just be a bout of rain, that's all,"

Never had the fearful tension been so high in the dining room.

Crossing his hands behind his back, Agdar headed back towards the doors they came in from, tossing a glance back at his daughter. "Well, I'm in need of a rest. That meal was quite filling. If you need me, I will be in the library,"

Elsa nodded, sparing one last look at the covered window, noticing the thickening of the clouds past the thin fabric of the curtains. "Alright,"

With that, Agdar left the room, not realizing that his hands had unhooked from behind him and were now twiddling with one another anxiously.

* * *

><p>Agdar sat comfortably in the large chair that adorned the over-sized library, positioned near the open fire with a pile of books and scattered pages. Tilting his head back, he relaxed against the fabric of the padded arm chair.<p>

The wind outside had began to pick up, so instead of paying it any attention, he simply closed his eyes and rested his hands in his lap, again not noticing the twiddling of his thumbs.

His troubled mind drifted into thought, a particular gust of wind lolling him into remembrance.

_He didn't know how long he had been running down the quickly flooding hallway, his pants now soaked up to the knee. Opening a door nearest the end of the hall with a quickened pace, he tried to hide his disgust and the urge to vomit when he noticed a sailor face down on the wood floor, a puddle of water surrounding his head and a light fixture close to where he lay. The poor devil was knocked unconscious, left there to spittle and drown in a puddle that looked like it could almost be his own saliva. Shaking his head and doing a quick cross over his chest, the King of Arendelle slammed the door shut, trying his best to keep his crowded mind from focusing back on Idun, who was left to drown in the stinging pain of sea water._

_He collapsed to his knees when his foot caught on a fallen pillar, allowing his forehead to hit the floor with despair as he let out a howling cry, trying his best to compose himself yet not succeeding. Why had he left her, alone to drown? He glanced upwards to notice his pocket watch, cast a few feet away from him and open, revealing a small photo of his daughters. His Elsa. His Anna. He bit his lip, reaching out to clutch the watch in his palm before rushing back to his feet. He was doing this to get back to them, and the longer he sat on his knees and cried the more he threw that chance away._

_After climbing a tall ladder and pushing past debris, he found himself on the main deck of the ship, an array of sailors hanging over the edges in an attempt to throw their lifeboats into the ravaged water. Rushing forwards towards the front of the ship, he swallowed, feeling his legs shiver. Looking back, he felt his breath catch in his throat. A large wave, taller than any the king had ever seen, towered above the ship, claiming it as its victim before it even reached the first board. His head whirled back towards the waves beneath him, noticing an abandoned lifeboat floating beside the edge of the ship, bumping into its walls. Without choice, the king flailed himself over, not realizing his decision before the iced water of the sea washed up over his head and engulfed him underneath. Struggling to bring himself back to the surface, he finally pulled himself up, gasping. The salt water burned his eyes and face, the icy coldness prickling at his limbs that kicked and squirmed aggressively, trying to gain purchase above the surface of the water. Not long before he could finally catch his breath, he looked back towards the ship, his eyes widening in pure fear and his mouth agape. Throwing himself back under, he kicked and thrusted forward till he was deep beneath the surface, feeling the agonizing pressure of the crashing wave on his back as it threw him into a spiral, tumbling through a burst of bubbles and destruction. Pieces of the ship joined him in his journey, a particular board clashing with his ankle, slashing through the tender flesh and allowing a trail of blood to follow the king. Feeling the air in his lungs end, pure instinct forced the king to open his mouth, filling his throat and lungs with the icy hell. It felt like forever before his tumbling body came to a halt under the water, floating motionless. Seconds later, he gathered what little strength and life he had left and pushed himself back above the surface, choking. Realizing that he was still drowning, despite his head not being under the water again, he hurled his head forward with a string of loud, chest clenching coughs, feeling the liquid spray from his lungs. His stomach hurt, along with his chest, and when he finally was out of breath, his coughing fit halted for no more than a mere second. With a quick gasp of air, he was right back to hunching over, allowing the water to drain from his throat and through his mouth and nose, burning on its way up._

_He looked upwards, his vision blurred. Tossing his head side to side, he tried his best to spot something to support himself. Noticing a piece of the ship not far from where he floated, the king gathered his strength and pushed forward, clinging to the side before letting his head fall with a dull thump, the water again draining out the corners of his mouth. Letting his eyes close for only a second, the thrashing of the waves jolting him back to reality, he pulled himself up further, ignoring the searing pain in his lungs and throat. Observing what had saved his life, he felt the small intake of air he had managed to gather escape in a gasp. At that moment, he couldn't tell if it was sea water or tears streaming down his cheeks. _

_He was clinging to it. The cabinet that had crushed Idun, or at least a piece of it anyways. Bring his fist up, he smashed it into the soaked board, causing it to splinter around his clenched hand. He let out a cry, what little air he held in his lungs coming out in a angered scream. _

_ "You took her!"_

Agdar was jolted awake by the shaking of his shoulders. Quickly opening his swollen eyes, he stared up at his oldest, whose grip was clenched on his arms, holding him there. He looked around, before bringing his hand up to rub the sleep from his eyes. "Elsa, darling? Is everything alright?"

Elsa stared at him wide eyed. a look of concern etched on her pale features. "You were struggling in your sleep. Is everything alright, papa?"

Silently cursing at himself for allowing his body to display such acts of weakness, especially in front of his daughter, Agdar offered her a comforting expression. "Yes, yes of course. It was simply a dream. Nothing more. No need to be concerned,"

Still worried, Elsa allowed her grip to weaken on her fathers shoulders before letting her arms fall to her sides. "Okay..."

Straightening himself in his chair, Agdar folded the open book in his lap and placed it off to the side. "Has that storm passed yet? On a more important note, has Anna returned?"

Elsa shook her head, "No, she hasn't. But Olaf was here earlier, he says that her and Kristoff are held up in a cabin near the base of the mountain,"

Agdar nodded. He was still getting used to the fact that a talking snowman roamed the streets of Arendelle.

"And the storm is still out there. Its not moving very fast, something tells me it may last all night,"

Whatever happiness or comfort that remained in his features drained. "Oh, well...that's not good, is it?" Standing up, he began placing books back onto the shelf as a way to distract himself. "Hopefully the rain isn't too bad, at least. We don't want another flood again. It was quite terrible the last time, you were only a girl. Quite disappointed that you couldn't go outside and play, if I may add," smiling a bit at that, he turned his attention back to her. "How long was I asleep?"

"Well it's almost dark, I'd say about a half hour,"

Agdar nodded, strutting back towards his chair before resting a hand on the arm rest to hold himself up. His mind wandered as he tried to come up with more ways to distract himself before he focused back on his eldest. "I noticed you had quite a bit of papers to go through earlier. Have you finished that yet?"

Elsa shook her head. "No, not yet,"

"Well lets focus on that then," walking forwards, Agdar made his way towards the door, taking the glass of wine he had brought into the library with him. "It seems we have nothing else to do until this storm passes."

Following her father, Elsa paced behind him until they got to the doors of her office. Unlocking them, she walked over to her desk and pulled a couple candles from one of the drawers, placing them upon the surface. Taking a match, she lit them, illuminating the room in a comforting glow. Turning back around to close the windows, she mumbled to herself when she realized the windows had been left open, allowing a puddle of water to gather on the carpet.

Focusing back on her father, she found him kneeling in front of the large fireplace, gathering a handful of wood and placing it accordingly in the pit. Standing up to take a match from the top of her desk, he lit the kindling he had stuffed into the base and stood back, admiring what he had done for a mere second before getting to his feet.

Noticing one of the windows was still open on the far wall, Agdar made his way over to the shutters, taking a quick look outside. He gulped, feeling his foot shift nervously. Most of the storm still hovered over the forge, causing an uproar on the usually calm sea. The waves clashed against the piers and boats, bumping them into each other. He focused on a rather large ship that swished back and forth in the water, resembling that of the one he had journeyed on. He felt his head fall, his glance travelling to the floor.

No, not in front of Elsa.

Shutting the curtains completely, he joined Elsa beside her desk, who stood there shuffling a pile of papers.

"Anything I can help with?"

Elsa looked up at him, "No, not at the moment. I still need a few things. I guess what you can do is keep an eye on the fire while I run down to the supply room," offering her father a playful smile, she made her way to the open door.

"Yes, yes of course," throwing another small log onto the fire, Agdar nodded. "Better hurry, it will be dark soon and you'll find it troublesome getting around the hallways in the dark. I doubt the staff have gotten around to lighting the wall lamps yet."

Elsa nodded, carefully stepping through the doorway and closing the door behind her. Agdar let out a heavy sigh before collapsing in the large chair behind the desk. Running a hand through the front of his hair, he shut his eyes again in an attempt to get his thoughts back to normal. For right now, they were plagued with fear.

He didn't feel himself slowly start to slip into slumber, and before he could stop himself it was too late.

_He still hadn't managed to compose himself. He floated there, still pounding his fist on the board, allowing himself to weep freely. There was no one there to see him. And even if there was, he couldn't help himself._

_He clung to the edge of the wood for dear life, struggling to pull himself further onto its surface. Thrashing his leg, he felt a stinging pain travel up his calf into his upper thigh. With a hiss, he glanced down, noticing a trail of blood that gathered around his form. He cursed. He hadn't felt himself be cut, and his blood would no doubt alert the predators that swam beneath him. Again attempting to pull himself up, he managed to wiggle his waist up onto the board before it flipped, throwing him into the churning water below. He struggled to get himself back up above the surface, and when he finally did he couldn't help but curse at the outcome._

_His "flotation device" lay in two pieces, splintering. It would no longer be able to support a man of his weight. Fearfully tossing his head side to side, he examined the unsettled water for something else to cling to. He felt an invisible weight be lifted from his shoulders when he noticed a lifeboat not far from him. Using what strength he could muster he swam forwards, throwing his arms up over the edge of the raft before pulling himself up enough so that the ends of the boat sat under his arms. Finally getting his weight over, he collapsed to his back, his body again spasming into a fit of coughs. Collecting himself, he turned himself onto his side, before having to hold back a bout of vomit._

_The pale, blue face of a sailor. The cold skin of a dead one._

_He didn't know what to do at the moment except scramble to his knees and fall back against the edge of the raft, holding his chest. How was he supposed to deal with that? He very well couldn't just toss the man overboard._

_It looked like he might have to._

_The raft was small, not big enough for the two men to lay comfortably, and one of the two didn't need to have the ideal rest anymore. Looking around frantically, he soon focused back on the matter at hand. Making a cross over his chest, he gathered his strength and pushed the fallen body over the edge, watching it sink below the surface._

_"You were a good man," leaning back, he again rested himself._

Elsa walked back into the room, clutching an array of pens and inks as well as blank sheets of paper in her arms. Noticing her fathers sleeping form, she sighed, shaking her head with a small laugh. Her father slept constantly since his return, but not in a sickly way. More in a "I'm always tired, don't bother me when I am" kind of way.

Placing the supplies onto her desk, she reached out to gently shake him awake. "Papa?"

She threw herself back in surprise when he sprung awake, his arms grasping the armrests and his expression fearful.

"Whats going on? What's happening?" Tossing his head back and forth, Agdar tried to calm himself when he saw Elsa's worried form standing in front of him.

"You...you fell asleep again. Honestly father, is everything alright?"

Agdar placed his face into the palm of his hands as he tried to shake the headache that rocked his unsettled mind. "Yes, yes. Everything's alright. I did not mean to fall asleep,"

If it was only the first time it had happened, Elsa would have believed him. But curiosity and skepticism got the best of her. Her father was anything but alright, judging by the sudden jolts he had whenever she woke him up. Something was troubling him, something he wouldn't let on to. "Are you sure?"

Agdar could only nod as he had made his way back over to the fire, propping a new log onto the burning ash. The palace shook with another crash of thunder, and Agdar's shoulders tensed, his hands tightening around the fire poker he held in his grip. How on earth was he going to make it through the night? Placing the tool back against the wall, he paced a few steps before stopping again, seemingly in thought.

Elsa watched, intent on somehow discovering what was wrong with her father. It seemed that every time a new clash of thunder hit, or a gust of wind, he'd tense up, his usual calm demeanor turning into that of...fear.

Elsa at first couldn't believe it. Her father was such a strong, brave man, never letting something as cowardly as fear get to him. Elsa paused for a second, her eyes finding the floor as she thought. Each memory made her frown, all those times her father had told her to be strong. To not fear. That fear was the enemy.

And with that, her head snapped back up. But of course, fear was the enemy. And it had seemed her father had forgotten that. Taking a step forward, she placed a comforting hand on his arm, causing Agdar to turn, his expression curious.

"Is there something you need?"

"Father," Elsa tried to find the right words to continue with, pondering for a second, "is it the storm that has caused you to...act in such a way?"

"What ever could you mean?" Agdar chuckled at that, trying his best to keep calm and not let his true thoughts show. How could he preach to Elsa about keeping her fear in check when he could not even do it himself? He was a king for heavens sake! A king does not fear.

_But you are no longer king._

Agdar banished the thought from his head. No matter. He was once a king, and simply being replaced in the royal position was not any reason to become a fearful, vulnerable man. No, not ever. His daughters needed him, the kingdom needed him. A simple cluster of clouds and water should not be the enemy.

But his thoughts were cut short when another crash of thunder and a bolt of lightning shook the room. With wide eyes, he could practically feel the color drain from his face. Blowing past the closed shutters and curtains, a heavy breath of wind blew out what flame the fire had remaining.

Perhaps hiding his fear from Elsa was going to be harder than he thought. Grabbing the few papers that scattered along the ground, he mustered whatever composure he could before looking back up. He cursed himself at that, a man of his position wallowing in fear over something as innocent as a storm. Noticing the ring adorning his hand, his eyes widened before filling again with sorrow.

Placing the debris back on the desk, he slammed the shutters closed with a powerful swing, allowing himself to stare absently into the green paint.

He didn't flinch when her pale hand rested itself on his shoulder.

"Please papa, be honest. Its the storm that troubles you, isn't it?"

Agdar felt his head fall, his eyes focusing on his chest. Raising himself back to full height, he met Elsa's eyes with his own. "No, no of course not..."

His voice trailed off when Elsa gave him a knowing stare, and he found it futile to argue any further. He could only hope that this wouldn't make her think any less of him. One who taught those not to fear could not fear things himself.

"There's no reason to hide it, you know. Everybody has fears, and it takes strength to get over them. But sometimes, you just can't. Even the strongest cannot overcome some of the things that trouble them. Especially when something drastic has happened. Papa, you lost mama. We both did. And if it wasn't noticeable before, I'm not exactly at ease myself either. Its alright to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid, don't be ridiculous," Agdar collected himself, standing tall above his eldest, a small smile upon his lips, but again his eyes betrayed him.

Elsa simply gave him a look, and Agdar's shoulders fell. Taking a seat in front of the fire, he leaned forward, his hands clasping over his spread legs, a look of deep thought and sorrow on his perplexed features. "I'm not afraid. No, no nothing like that. I'm just a tad bit...unsettled."

Knowing her father no longer wanted to be called such things as 'scared' and 'afraid', Elsa sighed. "Unsettled is still nothing to be ashamed over."

"Elsa, a man in my position has no time for such things as letting concern get to him. I must keep a look of professionalism, a look of honor. What are the citizens supposed to think when they see a member of the hierarchy, a former king, letting something as unacceptable as anxiety get to him?"

"They saw me, did they not? Father, I ran. But they accepted me once again. And who is to see you at a moment like this? Everyone is in shelter. Holding in your fears, it only makes them worse. You know that,"

Agdar lifted his head slightly to stare at his daughter, an ashamed look on his face. "You know how much I regret doing what I did..." He let himself trail off, his expression faltering.

Sighing, Elsa felt herself shake slightly at that. She hated seeing the regret on his face, the look of a man ashamed. "There is no need to speak of that, you did what you thought was right. You didn't know what else to do. You did it to protect me, to keep me safe, and for that, I'm grateful. Grateful that you cared enough to make sure that my protection was a priority. Yes, for years I hid in fear. I was scared of what I could do, but I fixed that did I not? And look, everything is absolutely fine." Standing in front of the disheartened man, she waited.

Agdar glanced over at the ashes of the fire, then back upwards, taking Elsa's hands into his own. She felt his grip tighten at the thunder, and she could only squeeze back.

"Accept your fears..." She saw his posture straighten, and rolled her eyes ever so slightly, "...concerns. Accept your concerns. Embrace them. Because they make you stronger. You lived, you made it back. You're here right now, with Anna and me. Focus on that,"

"But your mother, she is not..."

"Don't pay attention to that, papa. We both miss her, yes. But you are here, that's what matters."

"I shouldn't have left, we should have stayed..."

"And miss such an event? You cannot control the weather, papa. You couldn't control what happened. None of us could have predicted it, and there's no need to blame yourself."

A short silence filled the room as Agdar tried to think of a response. She was right, he was letting his fears control him. He was the ruler of Arendelle, not of the seas. He didn't have jurisdiction over that. Holding Elsa's hands tighter in his own, he sighed.

Another strike of thunder hit, but this time, Elsa didn't notice him tense.

He looked up and met her eyes with his own. "Thank you,"

Standing up, he paced forwards, crossing his hands behind his back. "You are right. Who am I to blame myself?" Gesturing with his hands as he spoke, he stared at the closed window. "Fears are not what define us, but they are what make us human." His head lowered, and again his eyes filled with sorrow. "Though I do miss her,"

Elsa walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. "There was nothing you could have done. Me and Anna don't blame you for not bringing her back. We all miss her, but you're here, and that matters,"

Turning himself around, he brought his eldest into a tight hug, the coolness rising off of her giving him slight comfort. Oh how right she was, for he was here. With his daughters, keeping them safe. And he owed the world for that.

Pulling away from the embrace a short time later, Elsa made her way over to the fire, attempting to relight it. Successfully starting a flame, she stood in front of it, a regal look to her as she stood before slouching ever so slightly. There was no need to act so proper, there was no one in the room besides her closest family. She smirked inwardly at herself, giving such a speech to her father but letting her fear of professionalism get to her. Relaxing, she sat herself down onto one of the large decorative pillows adorning the area beside the fire.

Pulling the arm chair closer, Agdar settled himself into it, the pressure in his shoulders declining rapidly. Staring at the flame that continued to dance within the fireplace, he found himself paying no attention to the storm outdoors.

They talked for a while after that, about nothing in particular. Laughing occasionally when the other made a joke about something that had happened within the kingdom, or when Elsa told stories of how Anna had behaved during the few months before he returned. Agdar threw his head back with laughter as she spoke, remembering the true silliness and clumsiness of his youngest.

After what felt like some time, they had gone quiet, relaxing in the basking heat of the fireplace. Retrieving a cigar from his pocket, Agdar lit it, taking a calming drag before focusing on his daughter, who had been silent for the past few minutes. Noticing her breathing had slowed, it only took him a few seconds to realize she had fallen asleep. Smiling slightly, he thought to himself. She looked as if she was a young girl again, curled up in front of the fire after a tiring day. Taking another intake of his cigar, he sunk further into his chair.

He had taken what she had said earlier to heart. His inner fears did nothing but strengthen him, helped him cope. He realized that now, and as another strike of thunder and a gust of wind echoed outside the palace walls, he felt his breath catch for the shortest second, before feeling content.

Why fear fear?

And with that, he put his cigar out and let his eyes close.

* * *

><p><strong>At first, this was going to be a two part. Halfway through, I had run out of inspiration. But after putting editing off for a few days, I managed to catch a TV special about the making of Frozen, and after learning about the characters and everything else, I felt inspired once again. It appears that writers block can always be cured with a little reminding of what you're truly writing about. <strong>

**The idea came to me after seeing a Tumblr post regarding the King and his experience with the storm, bringing up that if he did survive, would he be shaken by the incident? An amazing King of Arendelle RP blog on Tumblr, by the name of thelateking, gave me the idea with a certain post regarding how the king would feel when it came to something such as a storm. And I just couldn't let that idea go.**

**Please R&R (Read and review), for reviews mean quite a lot, and I think everyone on this site would agree with that. **


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